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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Kezlyn on Thursday 15 May 14 05:44 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
Amongst the collection of photographs belonging to my grandmother that I am currently scanning is this photo. I would love it if someone could identify where it was taken.
The only information my grandmother wrote on the back is the somewhat unhelpful "somewhere in England" (we're in Australia). The branch of my family tree who sent photos to us colonial relatives had ties to Hackney, Datchet/Eton/Windsor, and East Oakley in Hampshire, and the photo would have been sent here after about 1911.
I don't know who the people are but if the clothing could be dated that could help me work out who they are. Is the man on the far left wearing a military uniform?
Thanks,
Kez :)
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Is it Datchet - looking at the castle?
I am wondering about the uniform, it looks foreign to me.
xin
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Looks to be taken in the 1920s.
Very distinctive castle - I'm sure someone will be able to identify it. :)
Regarding the uniform, if no one here can ID it, you could always post it on the Armed Forces board (but see how you get on here first).
I am wondering about the uniform, it looks foreign to me.
Maybe because of the cap? :-\
Someone might be able to weave some magic and lighten it a bit so we can see the uniform a little more clearly.
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Doing some googling for Datchet - are you saying this is Windsor Castle Xin? :-\
Looks like somewhere wild and woolly and remote to me ...
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Like Xin, I'd say Datchet because of the view of the Castle. Can't find a suitable point on Google maps/street view so far though.
Gadget
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I'm going to stick my neck out here and suggest that it is NOT in England, due to the style of house as well as the style of castle ...
That also fits in with Xin's theory about the uniform.
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Ah Gadget - you are never wrong, so that's my theory blown out of the water. :-[
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Ah Gadget - you are never wrong, so that's my theory blown out of the water. :-[
I was with you Ruskie, my first impression of the picture was that this was not England. Something about the landscape, the house, the castle and even the people said European.
But not knowing Datchet (or ever having heard of it :-[ ) I will now look for images online to compare.
Looby :)
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Well I was thinking of Windsor, but it is a little BLEAK - however the pathway keeps hitting the old brain cells as some kind of memory -
But I think I am thinking of the terrible floods that washed away a pathway like that somewhere in Dorset. (forgive me :) pulling memories out sometimes is difficult :)
Could he be a Prisoner of War? ooooo ???
sent to re-construct the pathway.......
uhmmm
day is calling
xin
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My first impression about man in uniform ....Is he a postman.. shoulder strap of mail satchel?
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Thanks for your ideas everyone. My thought at first was Windsor as well, but I am unfamiliar with how the castle looks "in real life" as opposed to professional photography, and what the terrain around it is like
The suggestion that it might not be in England triggered some thoughts. The family weren't well off and certainly wouldn't have travelled abroad - however - both my great grandfather and his brother, who emigrated to Australia in about 1911, fought in WW1 and they both sent home photos including some from field hospitals (likely in Turkey) and Egypt. Those photos are of a far poorer quality than this one, though.
Is the taller boy barefoot? Would that happen in 1920's England?
I wonder what this photo had in it that was so important that the sender sent it to Australia.
Thanks again for the ideas so far. Keep 'em coming!
Kez :)
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Yes, he is bare foot and I think that would be fairly common during the era WW1 - 1920s. My grandpa (granted he was in rural Ayrshire in Scotland) used to walk cattle to market for 8 miles in his bare feet circa 1912-1919.
Looby
:)
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It was important to send cos of the 'cat' :)
xin
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Glad I am not alone looby! ;)
There is something about the rendered stonework, the shutters and the chimney as well as it being two storied that makes me wonder if the house is English.
I would have thought that Windsor was always a lot better kept, grander and less rugged and rustic than this. I've only ever been up the 'tourist' side of Windsor and the slope is gentler than this as I remember, but I don't know about the outlook on other sides of the Castle.
Kez, keep in mind that the photograph may have been sent to your family by friends or relatives, and it might not have been your family who travelled abroad.
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have a look on google images for rear view windsor castle
I found this one :) interesting
xin
ps it was Boscastle that it reminded me of.. :(
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For what it's worth, I would say that it is not Windsor! ;D
I can't see, on any pictures, a square tower that stands proud of the rest of the castle, and sits on a promontory?
See here for a plan:
http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/castle/castlemap.htm
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I don't think it's Windsor either. Castle (from what I can see) looks too rugged.
The house doesn't have an "English" look to it.
I still think the photo has a European feel to it :-\
I need to go out now. Sorry to miss out on the rest of the debate :'(
But I'll tune in later to see what conclusion everyone comes too. ( I'll probably be wrong ;D )
Looby
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Agree with you KGarrad and looby.
I've just been trying to find suitable images of Windsor, and I really can't see any similarities between Windsor and the castle in this photo. As well as the 'promontory' there are mainly round towers at very regular intervals on the curtain wallls around Windsor, and none on this one. Like KGarrad I was also looking at plans of Windsor.
Definitely not Windsor. ;)
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Having been to Windsor several times I don't think it is there.
It is also rather a strange photo, as it is a picture of someone taking a photo, rather than a photo of a family group.
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There is absolutely no way this is Datchet or anywhere near Windsor. The geology of that area is basically chalk. Less certainly I feel that the photo was not taken in the UK.
Imber
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I don't think this is in England - the environment looks almost mediterranean. It reminded me of the approach to castle at Lindos on Rhodes, but I don't think that's where it is.
I think the people on the left and right foreground are taking photos of the two small boys who are simply providing 'local colour' to their photos.
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Pardon my French - but you lot are abso-bloody-lutely amazing.
With the mention of the Mediterranean, I remembered something else.
My great grandfather was on the troopship "Southland" on his way to Gallipoli in September 1915 when the ship was torpedoed. It managed to limp to Mudros harbour on the Greek island of Lemnos and the troops had themselves a little Greek island holiday before being picked up and taken to the Dardanelles.
And this (*) is a modern photo of the fort of Lemnos.
Whaddya reckon?!
Kez :)
Moderator Comment: Photograph removed for copyright reasons. Please refer to the Copyright (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/copyright.php) page for guidance.
(ETA: Apologies. I'm trying to do a dozen things at once and didn't even think.)
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I was just about to suggest Greece or Turkey, Kez. The younger boy especially, has a Meditterranean look to him, definitely not English.
Yes, looks very like the same place.
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Spot on, I'd say!!
Check the crenellations - looks identical to me ;D ;D
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Yay, very similar if indeed not exactly the same. I wonder if the house is still standing? I will have a scout around later to see if I can find a photo taken from the same angle. :)
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Is it just me or does the house look like a church? There seems to be a cross on the steeple, but maybe I'm wrong.
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That old cottage looks to have rough wooden window shutters. Would a church have shutters? If it was a church at one point, I'm wondering if it went out of use and somebody acquired it to live in
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Is it just me or does the house look like a church? There seems to be a cross on the steeple, but maybe I'm wrong.
Steeple?!
Looks remarkably like a chimney to me?! ;D ;D
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I think house not church. :)
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Well, hi again folks.
I go out this morning and we're debating Datchet and Windsor.
Now we're on the Greek Island of Lemnos ;D
Well done, it looks like the right landscape and castle. And shuttered house fits in with a Mediterranean location.
Looby :)
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Yep, well done, folks.
I am beyond thrilled that you've helped me nut this one out.
You're all awesome <3
Kez :)
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If you google "Myrina" (https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Myrina&safe=active&source=lnms&tbm=isch) there are a lot of photos of the fortress.
I have found one which looks like it may have been taken from a shore to the left of Kez's photo, but I think I can see the rocky outcrop which is visible in the middle of our photo.
I'm still looking for a photo taken from the same place as Kez's. :)
Fourth row down - the picture on the left is pretty close:
http://www.greek-islands.us/limnos/
Slightly different angle and closer:
http://www.limnosgreece.gr/en/castles
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::) How far is this Greek Island from windsor then --- ;D ;D
Well I dont know - had to go out and come back to all this info... I totally went down the wrong road there didnt I... ho hum.
At least you clever lot spotted my deliberate mistake :) :) and got the correct place..
I'll pop into the corner again for later ;D ;)
WELL DONE ALL
xin :-[